Mount Polley Mining Corporation seeks approval for discharge

Oct 26, 2016 | 6:33 AM

WILLIAMS LAKE — B.C. residents are being invited to comment on Mount Polley Mining Corporation’s plans for long-term water management at the Cariboo-region site.

The company is applying to discharge treated mine effluent to both Quesnel Lake at a depth of 40 to 50 metres, and to Bootjack Lake via groundwater.

The province says there will be a 30-day public consultation period as well as a comprehensive technical review, with the company’s final water management plan expected to be in place by fall 2017.

A tailings pond collapse at the Mount Polley copper and gold mine in 2014 spill sent millions of cubic metres of sludge gushing into waterways that feed into the Fraser River.